Ex-school Administrators Ponder Out-of-county Jobs

June 20, 1985|By Ines Davis of The Sentinel Staff

KISSIMMEE — Two administrators who were not reappointed by Superintendent Max Waters are considering jobs outside Osceola County.

Former superintendent Leon Hobbs, who appointed himself as assistant principal at Osceola High, and Chris Colombo, director of administrative services, are in the running for jobs in Lake and DeSoto counties, respectively.

Hobbs is one of 10 applicants for the supervisor of vocational-educational and adult education in Lake County, a position that he held in Osceola before he was named superintendent.

Colombo has applied for an elementary school principal job in DeSoto County.

The two are among the seven administrators who were not reappointed by Waters earlier this year.

Hobbs lost a bitter battle for the superintendent's seat last year and his job at OHS was long considered in jeopardy. Colombo, who supported Hobbs in the election, was offered a job as a teacher at St. Cloud Middle School and the principal post at Osceola High School.

Colombo had said he didn't want the high school job because he felt there was no reason to make a change. Rose Kish was not reappointed as principal.

A 20-year veteran of the school system, Colombo had applied for another administrative position but was not given one. He said his preference would have been being principal of an elementary school.

Hobbs did not apply for any jobs in the county, saying he had been asked to resign by Waters, which Waters denied. Hobbs denied rumors that he would take a job in Port St. Joe in the Panhandle or Orange County. He recently said he planned to ''enjoy my retirement.''

Hobbs could not be reached for comment Wednesday. He was interviewed in Lake County June 11, but the application period has been extended by Lake County officials until July 8. The position has been vacant since November, when Freddie Garner, who was the assistant director, was elected as superintendent. Garner demoted the director, Ken Bragg, to assistant.

Colombo, on the other hand, openly expressed disappointment about the turn of events that forced him out of an administrative career in Osceola County. He attributed it to politics. However, Waters has denied that the administrative shuffles were politically motivated.

A contract with DeSoto County school district has not been signed, and Colombo said he still is considering the offer.

''I really don't want to leave Osceola County,'' he said.

Ironically, the man hired to replace Colombo, John Gambrell, is the former DeSoto County school superintendent.